


Interconnected

by GingerEl



Series: Connections [1]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Chapter ratings will vary, Developing Relationship, Established Relationship, Fluff and Angst, Kissing, Love Confessions, M/M, Misunderstandings, Reconciliation, other tags to come, pure fluff
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-12
Updated: 2020-11-03
Packaged: 2021-03-07 18:01:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,340
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26971813
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GingerEl/pseuds/GingerEl
Summary: “That’s a very bold thing to say,” Ignis blurts after a moments of silence.Gladio’s face pinches. Confused and a little hurt.He never was very good at hiding his feelings.Ignis had always liked that about him.For a moment they just look at each other and then Gladio takes his hand away from Ignis’ waist.Ignis decidedly does not like that.“That’s all you have to say?” Gladio asks, voice a little rough.“Gladio, I -”“Forget it,” Gladio mumbles, rolling away a levering himself off the bed. Ignis is agonisingly cold all of a sudden.Alternatively: A series of interconnected but not necessarily chronological short pieces exploring Ignis and Gladio's relationship based off selected prompts.1: "That's a very - bold - thing to say" (T) 2: Reading Together (T) 3: Four different kisses (T)
Relationships: Gladiolus Amicitia & Prompto Argentum & Noctis Lucis Caelum & Ignis Scientia, Gladiolus Amicitia/Ignis Scientia
Series: Connections [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2068650
Comments: 28
Kudos: 53





	1. Bold

**Author's Note:**

> Weird that it took me so long to get my first Gladnis out when they were one of my first ships.

“That’s very _bold_ of you to say,” Ignis blurts after a moment of silence.

Gladio’s face pinches. Confused and a little hurt.

He never was very good at hiding his feelings.

Ignis had always liked that about him.

For a moment they just look at each other and then Gladio takes his hand away from Ignis’ waist.

Ignis decidedly does _not_ like that.

“That’s all you have to say?” Gladio asks, voice a little rough.

“Gladio, I -”

“Forget it,” Gladio mumbles, rolling away a levering himself off the bed. Ignis is agonisingly cold all of a sudden.

“Gladio,” Ignis says again, trying to get upright himself but finding his legs tangled in the sheets.

“Forget it,” Gladio says more firmly and he reaches for his jeans, pulling them on before Ignis is free of the bed.

“I have training with Noct,” Gladio says without looking back at him.

And then he’s gone.

 _I love you, too_ , Ignis thinks sadly.

\- - -

Noctis pushes his peas around his plate, frowning.

“What’s the matter?” Ignis sighs. He wasn’t really expecting Noctis to _eat_ the peas and Prompto isn’t even here today to scarf them down when Ignis’ back is turned so Noct can pretend he _did_. Noctis usually comes right out and says he's not eating them though, without any of this needless dithering.

“Did you and Gladio break up?” Noctis asks barely looking up at him.

Ignis blinks.

“I wasn’t aware you knew of our relationship,” Ignis says carefully.

Noct rolls his eyes.

“You know you guys are kind of obvious, right?”

Ignis did not know that.

“We had tried to keep things private, for our own sake. And for yours,” Ignis says calmly, adjusting his glasses.

Noct shifts a forkful of peas across his plate again.

“I don’t think _everyone_ knows,” Noct says, “But you had two glasses of wine at that gala a few weeks ago and called him _darling_ -” Noct scrunches his nose up in distaste “- and whenever you walk together through the Citadel Gladio puts his hand on your back.”

“Oh,” Ignis says, “Perhaps we should have been more discreet.”

Noct looks crestfallen.

“So you _did_ break up?”

“No,” Ignis says. At least he _hopes_ not.

Though Gladio _had_ cancelled their dinner at Ignis’ apartment yesterday with little more than a text and Ignis hasn’t been able to hunt him down _alone_ since he’s rushed out of Ignis’ apartment the other morning after -

After Gladio told Ignis that he _loved_ him.

Whispered softly and intimately against his throat in the wake of a lazy morning tangled in Ignis’ sheets, bare legs entwined and Gladio’s sword-worn hands against his back.

Ignis shouldn’t have been surprised by the words, not when Ignis’ own heart has been aching with them for _months_.

He just never thought - he never _expected_.

Ignis never though Gladio would grow to love him, he though himself too prickly, too pompous, too _serious_ for Gladio to grow to love.

Ignis should have responded in kind, he wanted to, wishes he had but the sad fact remains he hadn’t.

Instead he’d messed everything up.

“What are you fighting about then?” Noct says petulantly, “You’ve got Prom worried -”

“We’re not fighting,” Ignis assures him. Fighting usually involves communication after all.

Noctis looks somewhat appeased, if not completely reassured. He crushes some peas this time and Ignis just goes ahead and takes the plate away from him.

“So what’s going on?” Noct asks, “Gladio’s _miserable_.”

Ignis scrapes Noct’s peas into the bin and says, “Just a simple misunderstanding, easily fixed.”

Ignis hopes.

\- - -

Ignis manages to _corner_ Gladio in one of the training halls the very next day. He heads down from his office during what he knows to be Gladio’s short break between training Crownsguard recruits and sparring with Noctis for the day.

“You’re early,” Gladio says when the door swings closed behind Ignis. He has his backed turned, dragging a mat across the floor.

“Gladio,” Ignis says gently.

Gladio’s shoulders bunch together and Ignis can see the effort it takes it takes for Gladio to force them level again before he turns around.

Ignis wishes he could step forward and ease that tension with his hands, murmuring nonsense words of comfort until Gladio’s relaxed and content within his arms.

But Ignis feels like he’s lost the right.

“Ignis,” Gladio says, slowly turning around, “What are you doing here?”

“I haven’t seen you for a few days,” Ignis says simply. He tries not to let the use of his proper name bother him. Gladio doesn’t _always_ call him Iggy and it shouldn’t chafe now with him choosing otherwise.

“I’ve been busy. Did you need me for something?” Gladio asks.

Ignis flounders mentally for a moment, wondering if he should throw himself at Gladio’s feet and let the feelings and thoughts he struggles to express burst free or perhaps attempt a calmer explanation of his actions last week.

In the end neither comes out and Gladio sighs, frustration obvious.

“I’ve got stuff to do, Ignis,” Gladio says, “So if there was nothing in particular -”

“It’s about last week - at my apartment,” Ignis starts, feeling awkward.

Ignis can see Gladio’s throat work as he swallows.

“It doesn’t matter,” Gladio says roughly, “It’s my fault. I misunderstood what we were, it won’t - it won’t happen again.”

That feels -

That feels like an _ending_.

“Gladio,” Ignis says desperately, “You don’t -

The door behind Ignis swings open followed by shuffling feet and Prompto’s voice.

“- just saying if _I_ could warp I’d never be late for training again.”

Noct laughs, “No, you’d just make yourself motion sick _every_ single day.”

“You’re training with Cor today,” Gladio calls to Prompto, “Get your ass down there before you’re late.”

“Not until four!” Prompto chirps back, “Jeez, who pissed in your cereal.”

Ignis turns so he doesn’t have to see Gladio glance towards him subconsciously, instead finding himself faced with Prompto's wide eyed concern.

“You staying to watch Iggy?” Noct asks.

He does sometimes, for a quieter place to work away from his office or to offer help by lending a critical eye to their forms from a distance.

“No,” Gladio says confirming Ignis’ suspicions that he’s not welcome here any more.

Noct’s face scrunches and he frowns between his oldest friends.

“I’ll walk you out, Prompto,” Ignis manages to say evenly.

Noct bids them both a warm farewell but Gladio is pointedly silent.

“Are you guys okay?” Prompto asks softly as they make their way down the hall.

Ignis opens his mouth to reassure Prompto, to _lie_ , but he can’t bring himself to do it.

“What are you fighting about?” Prompto asks.

“It’s a misunderstanding,” Ignis corrects like he had with Noctis.

Prompto frowns, “’Bout what?”

Ignis grinds his teeth briefly and finds himself once again unable to lie to someone who is so earnest and open themselves.

“Gladio believes I do not care for him,” Ignis admits.

Prompto _laughs_.

“Can’t you just tell him that you do?” Prompto says, adding, “Man Gladio’s dumb sometimes, it’s so _obvious_.”

Ignis doesn’t respond and Prompto sobers.

Even with his thoughts racing Ignis manages to spare another thought for how he and Gladio hadn’t managed to be half as discreet as they thought they had.

“It’ll be alright, Iggy,” Prompto says softly.

“I have been _trying_ to tell Gladio,” Ignis says, adjusting his glasses awkwardly.

Even before Gladio had said those three words Ignis had been thinking them, feeling them. Wondering if he could or should say them. He’d gone in there today with the intention for saying them and just _hadn’t_.

“I appear to not be very good at it,” Ignis adds.

Prompto snorts and shakes his head a little.

“You’re good at everything,” he says.

\- - -

Gladio isn’t at his apartment. Gladio isn’t at his family home. Gladio isn’t at Noctis’ and and he’s not in any of the training facilities.

And Ignis had checked some of them _twice_.

Which means, unbelievably, that Gladio must be in his _office_ at almost ten o’clock on a Thursday night.

Ignis takes a deep breath and knocks on the office door.

There’s a low grunt and then, clearly surprised, “Yeah?”

Ignis pushes open the door and catches Gladio’s face as it goes from surprise to _nothing_.

“Ignis,” Gladio says, “Is Noct alright?”

Ignis watches Gladio fish his cell phone off his desk and check the screen as though he’s expecting a torrent of missed calls.

But Ignis had specifically _not_ called so Gladio didn’t have the opportunity to ignore him or put him off.

“He’s fine,” Ignis says, “ _We_ are currently the problem I’m afraid.”

Gladio frowns, “I don’t know what you mean.”

Ignis feels his eyes roll without conscious thought

“You’re being purposefully obtuse,” Ignis says.

Gladio glances away, “We talked about this. I fucked up, I know. You want me to apologise? Then I’m sorry that I ruined it for you.”

“Ruined -?”

“We never talked about what we were, I assumed after a year that it was -” Gladio shakes his head, “- I shouldn’t have said it.”

“Did you mean it?” Ignis blurts.

Gladio flinches and meets Ignis’ eyes just briefly. He nods.

Ignis makes towards him then, unsnapping his glove as he goes, eager to feel Gladio’s skin against his palm but before he can reach out to cup his dear, dear face Gladio catches Ignis' wrist with his hand.

“Iggy,” Gladio says, “I can’t - I _love_ you. And if you just want -”

“Gladiolus Amicitia,” Ignis says firmly, “The biggest regret in my life will always be that I simply called you _bold_ the first time you said you loved me without adding the simple truth that I love _you_ as well.”

Gladio inhales a little sharply and then Ignis finds himself tugged down, down until he’s pressing his mouth to Gladio’s soft and fervent all at once.

“Iggy,” Gladio rumbles and then he gives Ignis one last tug until he’s settled fully on Gladio’s lap, one hand against Gladio’s firm chest and the other sneaking into his long hair.

“I’ve been trying to tell you all week,” Ignis says “I tried to tell you that morning but I was too shocked, I never expected you to feel the same way.”

“I really am an idiot,” Gladio mumbles, “I shut you out, when I should have just given you time.” Gladio smiles and strokes his hand up Ignis spine - Ignis just about feels seven days of tension slough right off of him.

“Should have known you’d over think it,” Gladio teases.

“Hush you,” Ignis says though there’s a much easier way to keep Gladio quiet with his mouth.


	2. Fiction

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gladio and Ignis have always read the same books. First by circumstance and then by choice. Nothing changes on the road.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The wonderful [AnnaTheLoon](https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnnaTheLoon) left me the prompt 'Gladnis reading together' and this is what my mind came up with. I hope you enjoy it.  
> Anna writes super awesome and lovely Gladnis stuff too, so if you haven't checked out her stuff you absolutely should.

Ignis turns the book over in his hand with a vague look of displeasure crinkling his nose.

Gladio kind of agrees but as a general rule he doesn’t _like_ agreeing with Ignis. Guy needs to loosen up a little.

Or stop babying Noct.

Or both.

“This is a children’s story,” Ignis says out loud and other heads in the class turn in his direction. They look away quickly, they always do, no one likes Ignis very much. Gladio thinks _he’d_ like him if he would just smile more.

“A children’s story with depth and value, I assure you,” their teacher says in a specific no nonsense kind of way.

Gladio doesn’t actually mind so much, if his last book report before the summer is for a kid’s book he’s pretty sure he’s already read then he’s not going to complain. Maybe he can read it to Iris, kill two birds with one stone.

“I’m putting you into pairs for the write up -” the class groans and she raises her voice to speak over them “- I’ll post the list and deadline information on the door. Be sure to make a note on your way out the door.”

Gladio gets paired with Ignis.

Of course.

\- - -

Ignis _emails_ him to set up time to go over the book together.

Emails; not calls or texts or, you know, stops him in a hallway and arranges to meet up with him at the Citadel where they both train or live _every_ day _._

 _Emails_.

So Gladio arranges for Ignis to come over on a Thursday evening when he’s on baby sitting duty to discuss the book report and Ignis turns up not only with his school-bag securely strapped to his back but also a paper bag of groceries clutched in his arms.

“What’s that?” Gladio says, nodding at the bag.

Ignis’ mouth opens and shuts, whatever formal greeting he was about to offer presumably dying in his throat at Gladio’s question.

“I thought I might cook for you and your sister,” Ignis says, “To thank you for having me over.”

Gladio had been planning on ordering them a pizza or something but if everything Noct says about Ignis’ blossoming culinary skills - minus the complaints about vegetables - is to be trusted then this will be at least _passable_.

“Sure,” Gladio says, “Come on in, we’ll set up in the kitchen then.”

“My thanks,” Ignis says and Gladio leads him inside, shows him where to leave his shoes before heading towards the kitchen.

“Iris?” Ignis asks.

“Doing her homework upstairs,” Gladio says, “She’ll be down to irritate us soon enough.”

Ignis steps past him to place his groceries on the counter and Gladio’s amazed to see a little smile pulling up one side off his mouth.

“I’m sure she’s no more of a handful than Noct,” Ignis says.

Gladio snorts, “You’ve got that right.”

Ignis starts to unpack some fresh produce and various bottles and Gladio flounders slightly, unsure how to handle himself. He is going to be working with Ignis for a _long_ time. His whole life from here on out probably, unless one of them does something to lose their position.

Unlikely. Gladio’s not planning on messing up and Ignis seems _incapable_ of such a thing.

“Can I do anything?” Gladio asks.

Ignis looks up in surprise.

Yeah, Noct probably doesn’t ask that very much.

“You could set up our books?” Ignis suggests gently, “We can discuss opinions while I cook.”

Gladio nods and reaches for the bag still over Ignis’ shoulder and when his hand touches him Ignis jumps, looking at him with almost comically wide eyes.

“You’re still wearing your bag,” Gladio says and Ignis blushes, shrugging it off his shoulders.

“How did you find it?” Ignis says, hands busy with produce again, “Do you mind if I -?” he gesture vaguely into the kitchen.

“Go right ahead,” Gladio says, “And uh, I actually liked it. Iris, too.”

Ignis smiles properly.

“I enjoyed it as well,” Ignis says, “I realised part way through I read it before when I was much younger.”

“Same,” Gladio says, “I just don’t remember it _at_ all because, well, I read a lot.”

Ignis tilts his head to one side and reaches for a knife, starting to finely chop some garlic.

“I had noticed that,” Ignis says, “Whenever I see you at the Citadel and you’re not _actively_ training, there you are. Reading.”

“So,” Gladio says, “ _Peter Pan_ , huh?”

<>

Books are hard to come by on the road.

Gladio’s not opposed to a five gil romance novels from rest stop convenience stores - in fact he kind of likes them - but he’s sorely regretting not taking Noct’s advice and stuffing half his book collection in the armiger before setting out from home.

They were only supposed to be gone a few weeks though. How was he supposed to know? The set he packed in his back _should_ have been enough. Gladio should have been able to pick up something in Altissia for the return journey.

It’s something of a relief when he stumbles across the used book store in Lestallum.

Gladio was taking a short cut towards the market from the car having snatched the shopping list right out of Iggy’s hands so his boyfriend had no choice but to take the other two upstairs and maybe grab a little rest himself before he started dinner.

He’s never noticed the shop before, maybe because they often rock up to Lestallum late into the evening when everything is closing up for the day or maybe because he’s always normally on guard, watching out for anything that might threaten his companions.

It’s good that its a _used_ book store, Iggy will kill him if he spends more than the amount they agreed on such _non essentials_.

Sure they hunt now and a night a week at the Leville is easy to afford, a stop at a Three Z’s to break up nights spent camping on the ground. Gladio _loves_ camping but - don’t tell Noct - he loves curling up around Iggy in a soft bed more, running his fingers through the advisers hair and along his shoulders until all that tension just seeps right out of him.

Gladio loads up his arms, spending all his share of gil even though that means he’ll have to go without that shitty beer he's grown a taste for over the next few days. Gladio grabs everything that looks vaguely interesting, eager for _more_.

He’s heading towards the cash register when he spots it, a little battered, dog-eared like a much beloved tome.

 _Peter Pan_.

Remarkably it’s even the same edition he and Ignis had read in school, and its so effortlessly natural for him to reach out and add it to his pile. It pushes him over his limit but _Noct_ certainly won’t mind when Gladio turns up at the hotel room with not quite enough green beans for everyone. He’ll probably give Gladio a hug.

He and Iggy have traded books back and forth for years now, before they were ever together, before they were ever _committed_. Ever since that dumb assignment in High School and Ignis had slowly shown Gladio there was more to him that formal button up shirts and a rigid adherence to schedules.

Gladio _loves_ those things about him now. Well, he likes making Ignis _break_ his schedule, squeezing out five more minutes in bed in the mornings or skip out on heading home after a hellish council meeting and coming home with Gladio instead. The shirts he likes as is though. Maybe on the floor.

He waits until he’s outside before storing them away in a shimmer of blue magic, knowing from experience that regular people often startle when you vanish solid objects seemingly into thin air with a twitch of your hand.

Right, he thinks as he pulls the list from his back pocket, _groceries_.

-

Noct and Prompto conk right out after dinner and a few rounds of King’s Knight. Ignis sits up in an armchair with his notebook, acting like he’s going to try and _work_ a little before turning in and Gladio’s quick to snatch the notebook right out of his hand and usher him off towards their bed.

“Gladio,” Ignis sighs even as he stands and starts to walk with him.

“It’ll keep ‘til morning,” Gladio says, “I got us something today.”

“Did you now?”

Ignis sits on the edge of the bed rather heavily and begins to unbutton his shirt. Gladio watches the smooth planes of his torso slowly reveal and wonders how many extra hunts they’d have to do for him to convince Ignis to spring for _two_ rooms next time.

“Gladio, love?”

“Hmm? Sorry,” Gladio says shaking his head to clear it. Rather than explain himself he summons forth the book.

Ignis’ face splits with a soft smile and he abandons the last few buttons to take it into his hand.

“Ah, an old favourite,” Ignis says.

“I don’t know how many times I read it after that,” Gladio admits.

“I tried to get Noct to read it, to no avail,” Ignis says.

Gladio laughs, “Of course not.”

“I’ll borrow it when you’re done,” Ignis says, “If you don’t mind. I think I'd quite like to experience it again.”

Gladio shakes his head and leans forward to kiss between Iggy’s brows where there’s almost always a little frown nowadays. Usually it smooths under a little affection, even if only temporarily and tonight is no different.

“You want to do one better?” Gladio says, “Climb in and get settled.”

Gladio switches the main lights for the side lamp and Ignis finishes taking off his shirt, folding it carefully – stubbornly – himself. When Gladio frowns at him and gives his slacks a playful tug Ignis gives in and lets the shield whisk them away to be thrown _carefully_ over the back of a chair. Ignis has proper pyjamas, of course, but Gladio just strips down to his boxers and clambers into the bed, turning on his side and patting the space in front of him.

Ignis could never be described as a _little spoon_ , at least not to his face, but he feels strangely small in Gladio’s arms, slender and soft and _perfect_. Gladio lets Ignis settle comfortably before pushing himself up on one arm to reach for where they discarded the book.

Gladio opens it up against the pillow, where he hopes Ignis can read it and then hooks his chin over Ignis’ shoulder.

“This good?” Gladio murmurs.

“ _Wonderful,_ ” Ignis sighs, “Thank you.”

“Now you’re a faster reader than me,” Gladio says, “So you’ll have to forgive me.”

“Or you could try to keep up for a change,” Ignis teases.

Gladio laughs softly, trying to keep his voice low so as not to disturb their companions.

“You’ve always been one step ahead, babe,” Gladio says.

Ignis shifts a little, body slotting tighter against him and Gladio turns his head in towards Ignis’ neck to press a kiss against his throat.

Ignis takes over holding the book and Gladio moves his arm back around his boyfriend’s waist.

 _All children, except one, grow up,_ Gladio reads.

“Ah,” Ignis sighs, “Thank you, love.”

He sounds sleepy, Gladio thinks, breaths already steady but even so they _might_ just make it to Peter coming in through the window before Gladio has to try and find a way to turn the light off without disturbing his bed fellow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was working on another prompt first - which is basically done so I’ll post it definitely soon - but this is the one time in this collection that I think it’s important you get things in the correct order. The next chapter has a really obvious Peter Pan reference in it and I wanted you to have the context first.


	3. Four Kisses

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> If asked, if forced, Ignis could probably pinpoint the four most important kisses of his life. They’re all different. And they all belong to Gladio. Even if he wasn't physically there for one of them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one is for [EzraTheBlue](https://archiveofourown.org/users/EzraTheBlue) who gave me the prompt 'four different kisses' and this immediately took root in my brain and refused to let go. I'm sure you already know that Blue is amazing but on the off chance you don't please go check out their work, they've written some of my favourite fics ever 💛
> 
> Okay, so if you’ve not read/watched Peter Pan it’s imperative you know that at one point Wendy offers Peter a kiss and he doesn’t know what that is so instead she gives him a thimble, and, yeah. Just - that’s important.

The first time Ignis and Gladio kiss it’s not what you might call _romantic_. Or thought out. Or planned.

Or even _wanted_ in some ways.

Ignis, by virtue of his position and determination, is one year ahead at school. Other students are not particularly enthusiastic about this and all though he and Gladio haven’t always been the best of friends the future Shield makes his presence in Ignis’ life known enough that Ignis can keep his head down, get his work done and spend the evenings with Noctis without any lingering bad feelings.

He’s sixteen now and this summer he and Gladio seem to have finally shifted their relationship from future colleagues that don’t _hate_ each other to something more concretely friendship shaped.

And _that_ is the only reason he allowed himself to be dragged here. To this _party_.

“Let’s go home,” Ignis says, stopping himself before he starts to climb the steps.

It’s a nice home they’re heading for, but they go to a nice _school_ so Ignis isn’t sure what he was expecting. Noctis will probably come to this school too, when the time comes.

“Iggy,” Gladio sighs, “Just come in for a bit at least - you want to make friends right?”

Not particularly, Ignis thinks. But Gladio’s already talking again.

“You gotta show ‘em you’re fun, that you’re not just some super smart kid but a teenager too, like them.”

Ignis doesn’t even think he’s exceptionally _smart_. He just applies himself and sets aside adequate time to get things done. He didn’t get ahead by intelligence - in fact sometimes he actively _struggles_ in his more advanced classes - but the Crown want him graduated a year early and Ignis will make it a reality.

“They don’t want to be friends with someone younger than them,” Ignis points out but Gladio just waves him off, dragging him up the steps with an arm thrown over his shoulder.

-

Ignis should never have agreed to come to this party at all but in particular he should have never agreed to this childish charade that finds him sat as part of a lopsided circle watching as his friend crawls forward to spin the empty bottle in the middle of them.

Ignis shouldn’t have agreed to this, he should have accepted the scornful glances and said _no_ because at some point that bottle is either going to land on him or it will be _his_ turn and he’ll have to kiss one of these people that he just doesn’t care for _at all_.

Ignis isn’t a romantic, he doesn’t have any flowery notions for how he would like to have his first kiss but in Clive from the swim team’s basement with the unpleasant lingering smell of sweat and the saccharine odour of whatever is in that fruit punch is decidedly _not_ it.

Ignis hasn’t even thought about _who_ he might want to kiss. Girls, boys. No one? He doesn’t know and he doesn’t care much to find out.

Ignis watches Gladio’s hand turn the bottle and it goes round and round. Idly Ignis wonders which of his classmates it will land on, wonders a little uncharitably if Gladio will have kissed them _before_ today.

The bottle slows on the carpet and Ignis watches the last few rotations as it fully comes to a stop.

Pointing at him.

Ignis expects Gladio to laugh and reach forward to spin it again, to say _nah I can’t do that_ but instead he starts to crawl forward, oddly wolfish grin on his face.

“Hey, Iggy,” Gladio whispers and Ignis doesn’t know what to do.

He _wants_ this, Ignis realises with a sudden thrill. Ignis doesn’t know if it’s Gladio or just a _kiss_ , but he wants this.

Ignis closes his eyes and clenches his fist against his knee, tensing up as Gladio’s mouth covers his own.

It’s nothing really; warm and pleasant but nothing earth shattering.

Then Gladio makes the softest little noise in the back of his throat and Ignis parts his mouth slightly in surprise and suddenly Gladio’s mouth is moving against his own, parting Ignis’ lips further to make space for his tongue and -

Oh.

_Oh._

Ignis thinks he gets it.

He tries to kiss back, clumsily he worries, and Gladio doesn’t pull away laughing just continues to kiss him for a few more glorious moments. Ever so gently Gladio touches his knee before pulling back.

Ignis had forgotten they were surrounded by their classmates until they all _cheer_ as Gladio shifts back, whooping and hollering. Gladio gives him a wink and returns to his previous seat. Although the teasing nature of that makes something uncomfortable settle in Ignis' gut there’s something else there too.

Something good.

Ignis _liked_ that.

<>

It took a year for _them_ to realise they were in a relationship so Ignis assumed it would take them a fairly long time to announce it to the world at large.

Though Gladio claims _he_ knew after just a few short weeks of their initial _arrangement_ and if Noctis and Prompto are to be believed they’re not very good at keeping it to themselves anyway.

But still, Ignis doesn’t expect Gladio to _kiss_ him, smack dab in the middle of the Citadel when Ignis is stood just a few feet apart from Gladio’s _father_.

“Hey,” Gladio says, completely ignoring Clarus.

“Good afternoon,” Ignis replies formally.

Gladio shakes his head with the barest hint of a smile.

“You good?” Gladio asks, “Noct ready for training?”

“Just having a moment with his father,” Ignis says and he adjusts his glasses a little nervously, feeling the weight of Clarus’ eyes flicking back and forth between the two of them.

Gladio nods, then ducks down, lips brushing against the very corner of his mouth, warm gentle pressure that sets Ignis’ heart racing.

It’s _nothing_. Even less of a kiss than the meaningless, childish thing they’d shared all those years ago and yet -

And _yet_.

Ignis shouldn’t be as into something as base as Gladio _claiming_ him as he seems to be but he _likes_ it. Likes the way Gladio’s letting everyone know with this casual touch that this is a thing he _does_ , that kissing Ignis is normal and common for him. It tells people of a familiarity, a closeness in a way something more showy, more _intimate_ might not.

And Gladio’s father is _right_ there.

“You never answered my question,” Gladio says, “You good?”

Ignis smiles and leans forward to peck Gladio’s mouth before he retreats too far away.

“I’m wonderful, love.”

When Ignis looks at Clarus he’s _smiling_ and all feels right in Ignis’ world.

<>

Ignis never had much cause to travel by train in his life so far.

Insomnia has a subway system but a huge part of Ignis’ duties involved him driving almost the moment he was able, ferrying Noctis to and from school, delivering paperwork from the Citadel to be often unread before Ignis next arrived at the apartment.

That’s all gone now.

Not just his ability to drive, but Insomnia as a whole.

Driving is one of the activities he’ll mourn least, he thinks. They’ve had no reason to drive since he sacrificed his vision, going from boat to train but Ignis trusts in his companions abilities to keep them safe when they’re finally travelling by Regalia once more.

The train is oddly soothing now, both the rhythmic movements and the consistent pattern of the noise it makes even though at first, the noise at least, had been driving him mad.

Ignis slept for so long after he wore the ring, waking up with Gladio’s hand in his and a bruise but whole Prompto in the bed across from him. The doctor wasn’t sure if his vision would ever return but Ignis had known the moment he woke up without it that it would not. It was the cost, his sacrifice to keep Noctis safe.

Ignis will never regret his choice. Like he’ll never regret his decision to stay with him now, by him side until the bitter end.

Even if Gladio doesn’t agree.

It’s not that he had expected Gladio to be glad that Ignis wanted to press forward, compromised as he is, but to so furiously demand he step back, to _stay behind_ -

It had hurt him.

They’re sharing a cabin, of course, so even if Ignis hadn’t been tuned in to the sound of Gladio’s footsteps even _before_ his injury Ignis would know who it was opening the door and walking up to his bedside.

“Iggy,” Gladio says.

“Gladio,” Ignis sighs.

The bed dips as Gladio settles on the edge of it.

They’ve barely touched since Altissia. Gladio was there when he woke up, helped him dress that first time and gifted him a kiss on the forehead and then he was gone from him - angry and struggling, lashing out at Noctis and Prompto and Ignis. None of the softness that Ignis is familiar with to round off his sharp edges and blunt words.

Ignis has had Prompto there to guide him, hand gentle on his back and an encouraging word and while Ignis loves his friend dearly he is not Gladio.

He is not _Ignis’_ Gladio.

“Ignis,” Gladio says. The bed creaks as Gladio shifts, turning Ignis thinks because the next second Gladio’s hand is brushing through his hair.

“ _Ignis_ ,” he says again.

Ignis rolls over and it’s a sharp stab when he’s reminded – again - that he can’t _see_ Gladio now. That the last time he saw Gladio - fear stricken as the ground between them _exploded_ \- will always be the last time he saw Gladio.

Gladio’s fingers are gentle in his hair, palm warm where it rests against his cheek. Ignis took his glasses off before he lay down, the dark lenses he hopes hides his new marks from view, resting on the small table. Ignis hadn’t turned the light on when he entered but nor had he shut the curtains so he can’t be entirely sure how good a view of Ignis’ face Gladio has right now.

“You know I didn’t want to say it,” Gladio murmurs roughly, “I didn’t - _don’t_ want to leave you behind.”

“You were being purely logical,” Ignis says, “Nothing you said was incorrect or unfair.”

The bed creaks again as Gladio lays down, ill equipped to hold two men of their stature, but Gladio’s stubborn, they both are, and if he wants the lie with Ignis the adviser knows nothing will stop him.

“It _was_ unfair,” Gladio says, “Prompto was right - I took your choice away from you. I was angry and – I'm sorry.”

“I know that I am not as I once was,” Ignis says, throat tight. Now is the time, he’s been waiting for it.

Ignis can’t have Gladio think he expects him to stay now. Not after everything. Not with _everything_ the way it is now.

“I am not the man you fell in love with,” Ignis gets out slowly, “I understand if - outside of our duty -”

“Shut up,” Gladio growls.

“Gladio, I -”

Gladio kisses him then, furiously rough, the edge of teeth against his lips the hand on his cheek shifting to hold his jaw tightly. Ignis scrambles, fisting his hand into the leather of Gladio’s jacket to hold on tight.

“I love you,” Gladio rumbles when they pull apart, “ _You_. Not the things you can do.”

With intensity turned to impossible tenderness Gladio kisses up the side of his face, the tip of his nose and then soft as butterfly wings he brushes his lips against Ignis’ closed eyelids.

Ignis thinks he could weep.

<>

Ignis feels the edge of something cold and smooth pressed against his bare thumb. Curved but small. He turns his hand and it tumbles towards his fingers.

It's a _ring_ , he realises.

His breath catches.

“It’s not what you think,” Gladio says quickly.

“Then please enlighten me,” Ignis says. He runs his thumb along the smooth inside of the metal, “At least tell me which finger I should wear it on.”

“Whatever one you want,” Gladio says easily.

“Except this one?” Ignis asks, wiggling the ring finger on his left hand.

“I want to marry you,” Gladio says, “But not yet, not when you can’t feel the sun on your face and we can’t honeymoon away from everyone, deep in the wilderness, skinny dipping in lakes every day and sleeping out under the stars.”

“Each dip would be a terrifying fight for our lives,” Ignis teases. He transfers the ring to his left hand and pulls off his right glove using his teeth. With a soft laugh Gladio tugs it from between his teeth and Ignis hears the soft sound of the leather slapping gently against skin. Gladio hitting the garment against his palm, Ignis assumes.

Ignis tests the ring against a few fingers, finding it comfortable and secure - but not _too_ tight - around his middle finger where he slides it on, expecting that's where it will stay for the foreseeable future.

“A promise ring then?” Ignis says, “We’re perhaps a little old for such a thing now but I appreciate it all the same.”

Gladio laughs, “Kind of. That wasn’t really what I was going for though.”

“No?”

“You’ll laugh at me,” Gladio says and he takes Ignis’ hand into his, starting to work his fingers back into his glove, “I wanted you to have something small to take with you when we’re apart. So you’ll think of me.”

Ignis shakes his head and stills Gladio’s movements, pulling his hand up towards his mouth to brush a kiss across Gladio’s knuckles. Ridiculous that he could believe even for a moment that Ignis ever _stops_ thinking about him.

“Yeah,” Gladio says, “One of those.”

“Hmm?”

“I was trying to find a thimble at the market,” Gladio says and Ignis’ heart clenches, “But they didn’t have one.”

Ignis still has that book, still takes it out from time to time. He can’t read it by himself but he can hold it his hands and feel the weight of it, remember the thing that first bought him and Gladio together as _friends_. Ignis has always wondered what would have become of them if it weren’t for that book report. If it wasn’t for the simple pleasure that was a battered copy of _Peter Pan_.

“No day is truly complete without a kiss from you,” Ignis breathes.

Gladio’s fingers touch his chin and tilt his face upwards and Ignis relaxes his mouth in anticipation of Gladio’s kiss. It’s a soft peck, warm and comforting with no intent other than to _be_.

“Be careful on the road,” Ignis insists.

Gladio kisses him again.

“I always am.”

\- - -

Ignis wears the ring daily, carefully leaving it a very specific spot by his sink when he showers and immediately putting it on as soon as he’s done.

It’s a comfort during the times they’re separated. Times that seem to be stretching longer and longer as time moves on. Gladio travelling with the hunters for longer, Ignis going further from Lestallum each time he leaves.

The truck pulls to a stop, the engine cuts off and Talcott says, “We’re here, Mr Scientia.”

Ignis doesn’t know what he’ll do if this is a bust too, if they don’t find what he’s looking for here, if they’re back to square one. Again.

“How does the path ahead look?” Ignis asks. He unsnaps the fastening on his right glove.

“Clear,” Talcott says, “I had a message from the hunters, they cleared the area this morning, we should be safe.”

Ignis is more than capable of defending himself nowadays and Talcott has come such a long way but he’d rather not have to fight for his life if he can avoid it.

Ignis removes his glove and flexes his hand in the chill of the trucks cab.

“Are you ready?” Talcott asks.

Ignis touches the metal band on his middle finger with his thumb.

 _A kiss for good luck_ , Gladio’s voice says in his mind.

“I’m ready,” Ignis tells his companion.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I haven’t quite decided what Verse this is set in yet - though Iggy is blind so maybe I have -  
> Also there is obviously more for them to talk about on the train, but I was focusing on the smooches today.

**Author's Note:**

> If you have any Gladnis prompts then feel free to drop them in a comment (feel free to request a rating too 👀) or come shout them at me on Twitter [@Ginger_El_](https://twitter.com/Ginger_El_).
> 
> I have some I've pulled off the internet but I'd love some from real humans that love these boys as much as I do.


End file.
